New people at church...

"New people can really be a headache for churched people. New people expect a parking space, a place to sit, and a place for their kids. And they don't know that you already have a choice parking space, a favorite seat, and a place for your kids."

When a church is intentional about reaching new people who don't know they matter to God, new people will show up. And they will take your parking spot, and sit in your seat, and crowd your children's space.

Are you okay with that?

Holiday Lighting Win...

Forklift Driver Fail...

Our Sun...

Our sun may look all soft and fluffy but it's not...

Male Brain vs Female Brain...

I don’t think any of us would argue that there are monumental differences between men and women. Anyone who’s been married longer than seven minutes can probably make a laundry list of differences. I read an interesting article HERE last week which talked about some of the neurological differences between men and women. The article states…

The male brain also produces less serotonin and oxytocin than the female brain. Serotonin helps to calm us down and oxytocin helps us with bonding behaviors.

So what does all this mean? I don’t have a CLUE since my brain is clearly missing a few essential ingredients.

Well, according to the article, it means men may not take in as much conversation as women do, because they have fewer verbal centers designated for it. It also means your husband will most likely want to end conversations more quickly than you do.  Apparently the male brain may also rejuvenate differently than the female brain. Men like to chill out more than women do. Women may want to bond at the end of the day to rejuvenate and feel connected, because of the oxytocin found in their brains.

My advice…
Men:  Scripture calls us to “seek to understand”  (1 Peter 3:7) our wives.  Your temptation will be to tell her why she shouldn’t feel this way or that way. You’ll want to tell her how she’s overreacting or being silly. However, your calling is not to explain to her why she shouldn’t feel the way she feels but to simply “seek to understand” why she feels the way she feels.
How do we do this? We need to listen. Listen more, fix less. Listen more, explain less. Listen more, argue less.
Women: Obviously the word "patience" comes to mind because the lack of oxytocin leaves us guys somewhat relationally challenged. It's harder for guys to connect through normal bonding expressions that are so natural to women. Just because we are wired differently doesn't mean we should be written off as un-emotional or un-attentive, it just takes different ways to relate to us. Most men connect and bond through "down-time" (watching tv or etc.) or through doing tasks together (working out or etc.).

Blessed are...

From my friend Jason:

Inspired by the Beatitudes…
Blessed are those who stub the toe of their life while stumbling through darkness.
Blessed are those who feel like they’re drinking expired milk on a hot day.
Blessed are those who need a big hug more than a big finger.
Blessed are those who are climbing a mountain of ice with no tread left on their shoes.
Blessed are those who want to put a giant band-aid on the wounds of this world.
Blessed are those who never feel at home.
Blessed are those who’ve been rejected by the establishments.
Blessed are those whose hearts have been shattered and can’t seem to find all the pieces.
For YOU are exactly who Jesus came for.

Fearlessness...

According to psychologists we're only born with two fears: the fear of falling and the fear of loud noises. That means that every other fear is learned. Which means that every other fear can be unlearned. Here's a definition of faith: the process of unlearning ungodly fears.

The enemy is a fear monger. He wants to scare the heaven out of you. But I John 4:18 says: "Perfect love casts out all fear." In other words, as we grow in a love relationship with God we unlearn our fears until the only fear we have is the only healthy and holy fear: the fear of God. And when you fear God you don't have to fear anything else! Perfect love results in fearlessness.

I think there are moments in life when we have to make major decisions that will determine our destiny. And we will spend the rest of our lives managing those major decisions. And if you let fear dictate your decision you'll end up with a ton of inaction regrets at the end of your life. Fear is a great friend, but it makes a terrible master! Don't let fear dictate your decisions. You have to face your fears. And what you'll find is this: the thing that scares you to death is very often the thing that brings you to life.

Here's another lesson learned: few things are as liberating as what you fear actually happening. You realize that God is still there and life goes on.

Creative Teaching...

Tired...

“A cheerful heart is good medicine.” Proverbs 17:22
I don’t know about you, but I have had some excruciating weeks lately and am pretty tired. Have you ever been this tired?

From the STORY conference...

• Story = "A character that wants something and overturns conflict to get it."
• What is meaningful in a story is meaningful...only because it is meaningful in life.
• We have a relationship with Scripture that is really strange. We sit down and say, "What's in this for me?" What if it's just a story about God? What if He just wants us to get to know Him?
• You can have a greatly flawed character, and that's okay, as long as the character sacrifices himself or herself for something.
• Success doesn't tell a very good story. It takes a character with flaws who does good.
• The story that we are telling ourselves is almost always different than the story we are telling the people around us.
• Conflict offers us the opportunity to appreciate joy.
• Commercialism robs us of the conflict, which in turn robs us of being involved in great stories.
• In real life, we wish for conflict to go away. But it never will.
• We are taught that conflict goes away through the gift of Jesus. Jesus was not the climax. Conflict still exists.

Driving Fail...

Awareness FAIL...

Waitress ad FAIL...

Lost paper trail allows borrower to ignore over $460,000 in debt...

A White Plains, NY federal court eliminated a woman's $460,000 mortgage debt because the paper trail was so messy that the mortgage lender couldn't prove that it actually owned the debt.

In March, PHH Mortgage filed a proof of claim to the debt noting that it was owed $461,263, which included more than $30,000 in past-due payments. The homeowner's lawyer sought to have the loan modified, but after the bank dragged its feet, as the lawyer described PHH's actions to the [New York] Times, the lawyer asked PHH to prove its claim.

Unable to do so to his satisfaction, Judge Drain ordered the debt expunged, concluding that PHH had failed to show it had been assigned the mortgage.

The case is being appealed by PHH, but even if the homeowner remains victorious, there remains a problem for her: Without a clear title, the homeowner will likely have difficulty selling her home if she chooses to do so.

Who owns your home? Lost paper trail allows borrower to keep her house

Enjoying the Journey...

I love the very first statement of the Shorter Westminster Catechism. It hits the nail on the head: the chief end of man is the glorify God and enjoy Him forever.

I don't think we're good at enjoying God.

Jesus told us not to worry about tomorrow. Why? Lots of reasons. But one of them is this: so you don't waste emotional energy on things you cannot control. Don't waste guilt on yesterday or anxiety on tomorrow. Spend today's emotional energy on today!

Live like today is the first day and last day of your life.

The more you enjoy God the more you glorify God.

Benny Hinn...

Self proclaimed "Faith Healer" Benny Hinn gives an interview to Nightline to defend himself. He talks candidly about faith healers; and also says that he has to many times live a life of misery.

I'll let you make your decision on whether he is legit or not...

Bad Day?

It’s inevitable…you will have a bad day and the question is: Are you going to give up or get up?

Here are four ways to make dividends out of your defeat:

1. Don’t Personalize Failure -Failing doesn’t mean you’re a failure. Continue to keep a positive self-image as you get up.
2. Learn From Your Experience – You really only fail when you learn nothing from a failure.
   
3. Think Positive -Keeping your enthusiasm is important to get up from a failure.
4. Establish New Goals – Failing is a great opportunity to start fresh…only this time with a new approach.

Local Church...

I love the church more than I can describe.

Bill Hybels has often said, “The local church is the hope of the world.” I believe those words with all my heart.

Many people today specialize in criticizing churches. While I acknowledge our (American) churches have a lot of room to improve, I see so many good things:

• I love that many are becoming more missionally minded.
• I love that churches are putting more emphasis on building people than on building buildings.
• I love that churches are working together.
• I love that many people really believe the Church can make a difference in the world.
• I love that many churches are becoming more passionate about worship, holiness, and knowing God through His word.
• I love that many churches are becoming passionate about reaching those far from God with the gospel of Christ.

While I applaud and support many parachurch ministries, to me, (and I believe to God), nothing replaces the power of what God wants to do through the local church.

I love the church!

What do you love about what God is doing through His church?

When the Bicycle Threatened the Church...

In 1896, the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church condemned bicycling on Sunday for enticing parishioners away from church and violating the Fourth Commandment:

The Sabbath, the Lord’s Day of rest for the body, and of worship for the soul, is especially threatened by many unscriptural innovations…Sunday bicycle pleasure riding…

Hard to imagine in our modern world isn’t it? I can’t remember the last time I heard someone describe the bicycle as such an amazing innovation that it puts the Sabbath in jeopardy

But to me, this passage isn’t just an interesting bit of history. It speaks volumes about how the Church reacts to innovation at times. Instead of embracing it and looking for ways to leverage it, we feel threatened.

Can you think of examples where today’s Church is reacting in a similar way?

Real Kids With Real Prayer Requests...

Kids Prayers from Granger Community on Vimeo.

A culture of frugality...

Love the story of how Jeff Bezos started Amazon.com in his garage and laid an old door across two saw-horses for his desk. Today, the culture of frugality continues. Many of Amazon's employees have constructed their own "door desks" to keep with the spirit of the company.

They've become a door-desk culture.

Motorcycle Riding Fail...

Internet Help Fail...

This Pastor and Church Are Out-of-Touch...

I'm not sure whether to be...

• Shocked that churches like this still exist.
• Ashamed to be included in the same "Christian" category as these folks.

See what you think...

Peronsal Ad Fail...

Neighborly love?

A little neighborly love?

M

Notes from Chuck Swindoll at Catalyst....

10 Things Chuck Swindoll Learned in 50ish Years of Ministry:

1. It’s lonely to lead.
   Leadership involves tough decisions. The tougher the decisions, the lonelier it is.
2. It’s dangerous to succeed.
   It is dangerous to succeed while being young. rarely, does God give leadership that young because it takes crushing and failure first.
3. It’s hardest at home.
   Nobody at home is applauding you. They say, “Dad! You’re fly is open.”
4. It is essential to be real.
   If there is one realm where phoniness is personified it is leadership. What I care about is that you stay real.
5. It is painful to obey.
   There are rewards, yes, but it is painful nevertheless.
6. Brokenness and failure are necessary.
7. My attitude is more important than my actions.
   Some of you are getting hard to be around. And your attitude covers all those great actions you pull off.
8. Integrity eclipses image.
   What you are doing is not a show. And the best things you are doing is not up front but what you do behind the scenes.
9. God’s way is better than my way.
   God is going to have His way.
10. Christ-likeness begins and ends with humility.

2 Corinthians 4:5-7 tells us that we must be willing to leave the familiar message without disturbing the Biblical message. We get that backwards. This was written in the first century, and now we are in the 21st century. The message stays the same. Don’t miss the message. As you alter the methods, don’t mess with the message.

Traditionalism is the dead faith of those still living. You will defend those things that don’t need defended.

Three Important Observations:

1. With every ministry a special mercy is needed.
2. In every ministry the same things must be renounced and rejected.
   That is hiding shameful things, doing deceitful things, and corrupting truthful things. Guard against deception. Guard against deception.
3. Through every ministry a unique style should be pursued.
   We don’t preach or promote ourselves (it isn’t about us). We declare Christ Jesus as Lord (it’s all about Him). We see ourselves as bond-servants for Jesus Christ.

Five Statements Worth Remembering During Your Next 50 Years of Leadership:

1. Whatever you do, do more with others and less alone.
   It will help you become accountable.
2. Whenever you do it, emphasize quality not quantity.
3. Wherever you go, do it the same as if you were among those who know you the best.
   It will keep you from exaggerating. it will help keep your stories true. Your good friend will tell you things that others will not. They will hold you close to truth.
4. Whoever may respond to your ministry, keep a level head.
5. However long you lead, keep on dripping with gratitude and grace.
   Stay thankful. Stay gracious.

Little Pax....

Here is a picture of my younger brother doing what he does best...being a wild man. I love him and am thankful to have him in my life. God has great plans for this young man and his new bride.